FIRE HAWK
06-06-2001, 09:41 AM
Taizhu or Grand Ancestor referred to here is none other that the first emperor of Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuang Yin.
The regime of Emperor Zhao was peaceful and prosperous. This led to over emphasis on literacy aspects and the neglect of the practice of martial arts. His officials were concerned that this could eventually weaken the empire so they repeatedly urged him to revive the interest in martial arts. Fortunately, the Emperor took the advice of one of his generals and passed his martial arts manuals to the abbot at Shaolin temple. The abbot was tasked to teach the arts to the people. The manual included unarmed fighting skills and the use of the staff.
The abbot of Shaolin temple immediately set up a group to study the manuals and practice the arts. They called themselves Taizhu Men and named the arts Taizhu Quan, the martial arts of the Grand Ancestor, out of respect for the first emperor.
Due to the efforts of the monks in Shaolin temple, Taizhu Quan became very popular. By the time of Southern Song period, many people in the southern regions especially Fujien were practicing Taizhu Quan. The popularity continued through Yuan and Ming dynasty to Qing dynasty, long after the Song dynasty was overthrown.
Unfortunately during the Qing dynasty, the monks at the Shaolin temple in Fujien were suspected of involving in plots against Qing authority. This caused Emperor Qianlong to attack the temple and eventually destroyed its imperial army. Many monks however, managed to escape from this disaster. Among the escapees were Qingcao, Qingfang, Qingse, Qingru and Qingsheng.
The monks escaped towards different destinations. Qingcao later returned to Fujien and continued to teach Taizhu Quan. Qingfang fled to Guangdong and became famous there. Qingse went in Gansu. Qingru settled in Shanzi. Qingsheng went south to Siam and from there to Malacca and finally settled in Penang. Although scattered, they would meet annually on the sixteen of the first month of lunar calendar at Wuhe Tang in Guangdong.
The five monks were symbolic of the determination and efforts to overthrow the Qing dynasty. They were greatly revered by all those who were against Qing dynasty and were later referred to as Wuzhu, the five ancestors.
During Xianfeng period of the later part of Qing dynasty, an outstanding martial arts master called Cai Yu Ming emerged. He was very proficient in Taizhu Quan as well as Lohan Quan, Ho Quan, Hou Quan, and Xuannu Quan. He eventually combined the best of what he has learned of the five styles and created a new form, which he called Wuzhu Quan, the "Fighting Arts of the Five Ancestors". "Five ancestors" in this case referred to the origins of the five different styles of martial arts. It was clearly not the five monks who escaped from Shaolin temple in Fujien earlier because the martial arts styles of the five monks were all Taizhu Quan. However since the anti-Qing feeling at that time was very intense, the distinction was ignored and Wuzhu Quan immediately became very popular among the people who are mostly against the Qing Dynasty.
From the above short account, it should be clear that Taizhu Quan and Wuzhu Quan are two different styles of Chinese martial arts. Taizhu Quan was the martial arts of the first emperor of the Song Dynasty (about 930 A.D.) and existed through Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties until now, a span of more than one thousand years. The Gifted Grandmaster Cai created Wuzhu Quan about 140 years ago.
The regime of Emperor Zhao was peaceful and prosperous. This led to over emphasis on literacy aspects and the neglect of the practice of martial arts. His officials were concerned that this could eventually weaken the empire so they repeatedly urged him to revive the interest in martial arts. Fortunately, the Emperor took the advice of one of his generals and passed his martial arts manuals to the abbot at Shaolin temple. The abbot was tasked to teach the arts to the people. The manual included unarmed fighting skills and the use of the staff.
The abbot of Shaolin temple immediately set up a group to study the manuals and practice the arts. They called themselves Taizhu Men and named the arts Taizhu Quan, the martial arts of the Grand Ancestor, out of respect for the first emperor.
Due to the efforts of the monks in Shaolin temple, Taizhu Quan became very popular. By the time of Southern Song period, many people in the southern regions especially Fujien were practicing Taizhu Quan. The popularity continued through Yuan and Ming dynasty to Qing dynasty, long after the Song dynasty was overthrown.
Unfortunately during the Qing dynasty, the monks at the Shaolin temple in Fujien were suspected of involving in plots against Qing authority. This caused Emperor Qianlong to attack the temple and eventually destroyed its imperial army. Many monks however, managed to escape from this disaster. Among the escapees were Qingcao, Qingfang, Qingse, Qingru and Qingsheng.
The monks escaped towards different destinations. Qingcao later returned to Fujien and continued to teach Taizhu Quan. Qingfang fled to Guangdong and became famous there. Qingse went in Gansu. Qingru settled in Shanzi. Qingsheng went south to Siam and from there to Malacca and finally settled in Penang. Although scattered, they would meet annually on the sixteen of the first month of lunar calendar at Wuhe Tang in Guangdong.
The five monks were symbolic of the determination and efforts to overthrow the Qing dynasty. They were greatly revered by all those who were against Qing dynasty and were later referred to as Wuzhu, the five ancestors.
During Xianfeng period of the later part of Qing dynasty, an outstanding martial arts master called Cai Yu Ming emerged. He was very proficient in Taizhu Quan as well as Lohan Quan, Ho Quan, Hou Quan, and Xuannu Quan. He eventually combined the best of what he has learned of the five styles and created a new form, which he called Wuzhu Quan, the "Fighting Arts of the Five Ancestors". "Five ancestors" in this case referred to the origins of the five different styles of martial arts. It was clearly not the five monks who escaped from Shaolin temple in Fujien earlier because the martial arts styles of the five monks were all Taizhu Quan. However since the anti-Qing feeling at that time was very intense, the distinction was ignored and Wuzhu Quan immediately became very popular among the people who are mostly against the Qing Dynasty.
From the above short account, it should be clear that Taizhu Quan and Wuzhu Quan are two different styles of Chinese martial arts. Taizhu Quan was the martial arts of the first emperor of the Song Dynasty (about 930 A.D.) and existed through Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties until now, a span of more than one thousand years. The Gifted Grandmaster Cai created Wuzhu Quan about 140 years ago.